Improved boot-crimper



AUNITED STATES `:PATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH M. READ, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification forming,` part of Letters Patent N0. 91.162, dated Julie 8, 1869.

To all to whom these presents shall come:

Be it known that I, JosIAH M. READ, of

Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Gommonuse, composed of a jawed clasp and two pendulous auxiliary jaws, the latter being suspended from thel former, andl both combined with a pyramidal spreader and straining-screw,

`whereby the auxiliary jaws are spread outwardly, and so as to inclose between them and the jaws of the claspv the corners of the bootupper.

rIhe improvements constituting the subjectmatter of this patent consists, iirst, in an ef fective and economical mode of attaching the movable or auxiliaryjaws to the clasp, by which they may be readily detached therefrom if occasion requires; secondly, this linvention consists in applying to the auxiliary jaws a spring disposed between them and the jaws of the clasp, and operating to force the lower ends of the auxiliary jaws inwardly toward the straining-screw and pyramidal spreader, and in giving such outline to the latter as to enable it to serve as a support to the auxiliary jaws and clasp, and to retain the former in such position with respect to the latter as to create a considerable space between the outer face of lower end of each of such jaws and the contiguous inner faces of the jaws of the clasp, the same being for the purpose of facilitating the introduction of the corners of the bootupper between such parts when the implement is in use. the upper surface and corners of the spreader being disposed at such an angle that after the corners of the boot-upper have been partially introduced between the auxiliary jaws and the clasp a slight blow upon the latter shall cause the auxiliary jaws to slip from the spreader, and, with the clasp, drop about and inclose the corners of the said upper; thirdly, the invention consists in the peculiar formation or configuration of the outer faces of the movable jaws, whereby the impress left by them upon the upper shall not tend to injure its appearance to the extent now general in use of the before-mentioned boot-crimpers.

In the drawings before mentioned as accompanyin g this specication, and which illustrate my invention, a boot-crimper in which my invention is embodied is shown at A as com posed of a yoke-shaped jawed clasp, the jaws C C of which compose the primary jaws of the implement. The pyramidal spreader is shown at J, and the straining-screw, which is screwed through it, at E, such screw passing loosely through the clasp B.

The arrangement ofthe clasp B and spreader J and screw E is substantially the same as in in the other boot-crimpers now 1n use.

In carrying out the first portion of my invention, as hereinbefore premised, I dispose between the primary jaws G C two auxiliary jaws, D D, of about equal length and breadth therewith, such auxiliary jaws being suspended from the top of the clasp B by means of two lateral ears, a c, formed upon the upper part of each, and which extend outside of and overlap opposite edges of the said clasp, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The primary jaws C (l are tapering in form and narrowing to their lower ends, in order that, when the straining-screw is removed from the clasp B, the auxiliary jaws D D may be instantly detached from such clasp, which may be done by inclinin g them at an angle of about forty-five degrees.

The primary jaws C C diverge as they approach their lower extremities, in order that, when the auxiliary jaws D D depend perpendicularly, or thereabout, from the top of the clasp, a space shall be left between the primary and auxiliary jaws for the reception of the corners of the boot-upper.

In carrying out the second portion of my invention, I apply to the outer face of each auxiliary jaw D D, and in close proximity to the upper part of the clasp B, and between the jaws C C and D D, a spring, a', of any suitable form, which is capable of forcing asunder the said jaws, and causing the jaws D D to approach the straining screw or pyramidal spreader. as before observed, and as shown in the accompanying drawings in Fig. 4. By this means ample space is provided between each set of jaws for insertion ofthe corners of the boot-upper.

The spreader J, before mentioned, has its upper surface convex or sloping, as shown at b', andk at such an angle t0 a horizontal plane that the power of the springs a' a shall serve to retain the lower extlemities of the auxiliary jaws upon the upper surface of such spreader while inserting the corners of the hootupper between the auxiliary' and primary jaws, but which shall allow such jaws to slip od' from such slope upon a slight blow being given by the hand of the workman upon the upper part of the clasp B.

In using the above-described implement, the auxiliary jaws are allowed to rest upon the spreader, as last explained, until the boot-upper has been passed about the forming-block and its corners inserted between the lower extremities of the jaws D D and C C, or held immediately contiguous to such jaws when the auxiliary jaws are to be separated from contact with the spreader, in manner as explained, and, in company with the primary jaws, allowed to drop over and inclose the corners of the boot-upper, the subsequent straining of the screw having the eli'ect,by means ofthe spreader J, as in other boot'crimpers, of tightly clamping the corners of the boot-upper and of strainin g such upper about its forming-block.

Heretofore, in order to prevent slipping of the'jaws upon the leather, it had become a matter of general custom to impress or serrato the outer faces ot' the auxiliary jaws in various ways, all of which leave an unsightly scar upon the leather.

The object of the third portion of my invention, as before referred to, is to score the outer faces of the auxiliary jaws with two ranges of oblique teeth, crossing the face of the jaw in opposite directions at angles of about fortyve degrees, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The teeth formed by the oblique scores, as described, leave an impress upon the leather much less objectionable than that made by other crimpers in use, while at the same time such teeth more eiiectively prevent a slipping Y Claims.

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, asfollows:

1. The mode of attaching the auxiliary jaws D to or suspending them :from the clasp B by means of the overlapping ears a a or their equivalents, which, while supporting said jaws, enables them to be instantly removed from or applied to the clasp, substantially as described.

2. The peculiar formation of spreader J, and its combination and arrangement with the auxiliary jaws, so as to allow the jaws and the clasp to be supported upon said spreader, in the manner shown and described, and for the purpose set force.

J OSIAH M. READ.

Witnesses:

FRED. CURTIS, GEO. A. Lonme. 

